Risky Teen Driving Habits Predicts Future Crashes
Teen drivers are typically involved in more accidents than more experienced drivers. A recent study seems to point out the causes of these teen driver accidents. A study of new drivers showed that as the number of sharp turns and… Continue reading
Vaccines Myths and Facts
Vaccines are one of the main reasons why we enjoy a relatively disease-free and extended life span. The others are the creation of antiseptics and antibiotics. Before the invention of vaccines, people died of diseases such as Pertussis, Tetanus, Measles, and were crippled by Polio. Widespread epidemics would kill millions of people and wipe out entire towns or villages. Fears about vaccines come from mistrust of authority figures (physicians), governmental agencies (CDC), and “big business” (pharmaceutical industry). This mistrust comes from the belief that an individual’s interest is overlooked for governmental or monetary interests. This mistrust is magnified when there is a lack of understanding of diseases, our immune systems, how vaccines are produced and tested, and vaccine side effects.
Food Allergies
More people are getting food allergies. From 1997 to 2007, 18% more children under 18 years were reported of having food allergies. Any food can cause an allergic reaction, but the most common for children are cow’s milk, egg, peanut, soy, wheat, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Common adult allergens are peanut, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. About 80% of children outgrow milk and egg allergies, but recent studies suggest that children now need more time to outgrow them than in the past. The reason why more people are making antibodies for harmless food proteins is not fully understood. One well-known hypothesis is the hygiene hypothesis: our improved hygiene has taken the burden off our immune systems, which are prepared to fight diseases or parasites, so instead begin to fight off harmless proteins. Since more people are getting food allergies, it’s important to know how to prevent and treat them.
Benefits of Family Meals
It is well known that family meals are important and beneficial. But with new studies, family meals are becoming more recognized for their vital impact on children and the family. Family meals, in particular, have a major influence on children nutrition, education, and communication.
Better Nutrition, Less Chance of doing Drugs and Alcohol, and Better Eating Habits
According to Pediatrics 2011, children and adolescents who have family meals 3 or more times per week are more likely to have a normal weight and eat healthier than those who had less than 3 family meals.
Overweight- decreased by 12%
Eating unhealthy foods- decreased by 20%
Disordered eating (such as anorexia nervosa)- decreased 35%
Eating healthy foods- increase 24%
Having the Puberty Talk
Puberty is one of the most dramatic periods a person undergoes in his life. It is the transition from childhood to adulthood. Our bodies go through physical changes and our minds undergo an incredible transformation. Some parents dread this phase in their children because their dependent child is now becoming a young independent adult. Aside from the physical changes, the emotional changes are the most difficult. The more we understand as parents the better we are equipped to manage this challenging period and brings on greater opportunities to develop a trusting close relationship.
Boys and girls go through puberty on different times; in general girls start puberty earlier than boys. Girls start puberty between 8 and 13 years of age and boys start between 10 to 14 years of age. The main thing that pre-teens notice in elementary middle school is that girls go through a growth spurt and all of the sudden they are much taller than boys their age. Other more dramatic changes occur that are not obviously seen in the early stages of puberty.
Yoga and Martial Arts
In my practice I am often asked about exercise for kids and teens. What age is exercise appropriate and what type of exercise is ideal for each age group. This seems to be a recent phenomenon since previous generations children… Continue reading
Adolescent Health Visit
This fall thousands of adolescents and young adults are starting middle school, high school and college. Before they start school, they should visit their Pediatrician or Family Practice provider. Adolescents go through physical and emotional changes that can be distressing to them and their parents. Many times adolescents are afraid or embarrassed to ask their parents questions about these sensitive issues like pubertal changes and sex. I encourage the parents to speak to their children about these issues but the reality is that most parents are not sure how to even start the conversations. Unfortunately most teens get their information and misinformation from their friends and the Internet. There are many studies that show that if parents are more actively involved with their teens there would be less likelihood of drug use, high-risk sex, and pregnancy. As parents our children look to us for guidance and even though they appear to not listen, they really are paying attention.
Pediatric Obesity: The Unspoken Epidemic
The press has frequently focused on infectious disease epidemics such as H1N1 influenza and HIV, but rarely discusses the growing problem of pediatric obesity. If HIV affected 30% of the population you would bet there would be an outcry for the government to do something about this problem. Right now almost 32% of children 6-17 are considered overweight or obese. There are some general guidelines on what to eat and how much to exercise but really there are no easy straightforward plans for families to address obesity in their children. Obesity is not as simple as eating less and exercising more or following the food pyramid, if it were that simple all my patients would be thin and fit and I wouldn’t be writing this article. Weight management should be approached in a holistic manner in that diet, exercise, emotional and family dynamics should be addressed.
Infant Breastfeeding
New mothers often ask me about the benefits of breastfeeding versus bottle-feeding and the amount of time recommended for breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a recommended in all infants except in rare instances. There are many benefits of breast milk that cannot be duplicated in infant formulas. Maternal infant bonding increases with breastfeeding. Recent studies have shown that breast milk reduce the incidence of serious bacterial infections, diarrhea, ear infections, and respiratory infections. The mother’s natural antibodies pass into the milk and confer protection from infections. A study has shown that infant death rates drop by 21% in breast fed infants. New research has shown that there are also long term benefits that persist beyond the breastfeeding ages. There are lower incidences of diabetes, obesity, leukemia, hypercholesterolemia, and asthma. In addition, there are natural substances in the milk that enhance brain and eye development. Formula manufacturers are attempting to mimic this effect by adding supplements to their formula now.
Strength Training Improves Insulin Sensitivity in Liver for Teens
It’s a well known fact that obesity is associated with Type II diabetes. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended increased physical activity as the primary method to improve obesity and obesity related illnesses in children. There are many studies that show that aerobic and resistance (muscle) training improve abdominal fat distribution, liver fat content, and increased sensitivity to insulin in the liver and the muscles. There has been no studies just looking at only muscle training on insulin sensitivity in teens until recently. In the November journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise®, a group of researcher examined the effect of resistance training in a small group obese non-diabetic hispanic teens. The average age of the teens were 15 years old, average BMI was 35, and 40% body fat; they were put through a 12 week resistance training program exercising all major muscle groups twice a week for one hour each session. At the beginning of the study and completion of the study their total body fat and liver fat was measured by MRI, insulin sensitivity at the muscles and liver were also measured.
